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A review by bethaniekay
Clanlands: Whisky, Warfare, and a Scottish Adventure Like No Other by Graham McTavish, Sam Heughan
4.0
I'm a fan of the Outlander universe - I read the books over 2 decades ago, before all the hype happened with the release of the STARZ TV show. So of course I was going to read this book, and of course I'll watch Men in Kilts when it's released later this year. :)
Before I go on with my review -- I highly recommend you listen to the audiobook ALONG with reading the book. Listening to Sam and Graham narrate their own stories adds so much to this book, as you can hear how certain Gaelic words are pronounced, and their banter comes across much more fluidly in the audiobook. (Confession: although I thought Sam's buttery-smooth voice was lovely, it was actually Graham's voice that's a bit more swoon-worthy.)
All that being said, this book was NOT a clear home-run. While it was, for the most part, a positive reading (and listening) experience, there were some detractors.
Where they got it right:
1. Their love of Scotland is endearing, and I truly enjoyed how they wanted to explore and share the things they learned about its history, its people, the landscape, the culture, the food/drink, and more. I assume the show will dive more into this, which I look forward to. It also added some fun that some unusual forms of transport and recreation were woven in for them to partake in (Sam's idea, of course), which I also assume will give the show a bit of spice.
2. The Outlander filming anecdotes gave a little bit of behind-the-scenes knowledge, and having some other Outlander actors join Sam and Graham in cameo roles at certain points in the journey was fun. I'm not sure a non-Outlander fan would appreciate those tidbits as much, though.
3. It was interesting to get a peek behind the curtain at each of their lives, in terms of their family lives, how they grew up, their early careers, and how their work on Outlander has impacted them. They both seem to understand (but particularly Sam) how the success of the films and the support of the fans have truly altered the course of their lives. Not to mention how it has impacted tourism to Scotland.
4. Reading about the crew that went along with them on the journey, and some of the challenges they faced with weather, guests, equipment, and other unexpected circumstances, gave me a little insight into how complex even a small production like this one is.
Where they got it wrong:
1. The format of the book is very disjointed. Not necessarily because different sections alternate between Sam and Graham writing/speaking, but because the actual narrative doesn't flow. In a single chapter, one paragraph is setting the scene for the location the guys are about to visit, then the next paragraph is about their past acting experience, and then there are some Outlander filming anecdotes thrown in next, all interspersed with the omni-present friendly teasing, and then finally back to the location they're visiting. The disconcerting thing was that some of the side-stories didn't necessarily seem to have anything to do with the primary theme of that chapter, which made for really dissonant reading.
2. I know it's probably just "boys being boys", but the constant mocking of each other and "taking the piss" got a little old. Hardly a few paragraphs went by without each of them making fun of the other. I get it, they're friends, and that's what dudes do. But considering the vast majority of those reading/listening to this book are likely female, it just seemed a little unnecessary and over the top.
3. Following on the above -- at times, the pet names were humorous, but at other times they were a little insulting. In particular, it was a little offensive that Graham's love of the "finer" things in life (like good food/wine, lattes, and comfortable hotels) as well as his more mature stance on not engaging in dangerous or physically harmful activities, were constantly equated with the female gender. Again, they do realize that most of their fans are women, right? Yet essentially saying those things are "wussie" by equating them with women is supposed to be funny?
Overall, this was still an enjoyable book. I learned more about Scotland (a country I already loved, even before Outlander fame), I got more insight into these two lovely actors, and it set the stage for the Men in Kilts show that will hopefully be released sometime this year. I'll definitely be adding this book to the permanent collection on my "Outlander shelf" with all my other books in the Outlander Universe - especially because the book I have has a bookplate signed by Sam and Graham. :)
Before I go on with my review -- I highly recommend you listen to the audiobook ALONG with reading the book. Listening to Sam and Graham narrate their own stories adds so much to this book, as you can hear how certain Gaelic words are pronounced, and their banter comes across much more fluidly in the audiobook. (Confession: although I thought Sam's buttery-smooth voice was lovely, it was actually Graham's voice that's a bit more swoon-worthy.)
All that being said, this book was NOT a clear home-run. While it was, for the most part, a positive reading (and listening) experience, there were some detractors.
Where they got it right:
1. Their love of Scotland is endearing, and I truly enjoyed how they wanted to explore and share the things they learned about its history, its people, the landscape, the culture, the food/drink, and more. I assume the show will dive more into this, which I look forward to. It also added some fun that some unusual forms of transport and recreation were woven in for them to partake in (Sam's idea, of course), which I also assume will give the show a bit of spice.
2. The Outlander filming anecdotes gave a little bit of behind-the-scenes knowledge, and having some other Outlander actors join Sam and Graham in cameo roles at certain points in the journey was fun. I'm not sure a non-Outlander fan would appreciate those tidbits as much, though.
3. It was interesting to get a peek behind the curtain at each of their lives, in terms of their family lives, how they grew up, their early careers, and how their work on Outlander has impacted them. They both seem to understand (but particularly Sam) how the success of the films and the support of the fans have truly altered the course of their lives. Not to mention how it has impacted tourism to Scotland.
4. Reading about the crew that went along with them on the journey, and some of the challenges they faced with weather, guests, equipment, and other unexpected circumstances, gave me a little insight into how complex even a small production like this one is.
Where they got it wrong:
1. The format of the book is very disjointed. Not necessarily because different sections alternate between Sam and Graham writing/speaking, but because the actual narrative doesn't flow. In a single chapter, one paragraph is setting the scene for the location the guys are about to visit, then the next paragraph is about their past acting experience, and then there are some Outlander filming anecdotes thrown in next, all interspersed with the omni-present friendly teasing, and then finally back to the location they're visiting. The disconcerting thing was that some of the side-stories didn't necessarily seem to have anything to do with the primary theme of that chapter, which made for really dissonant reading.
2. I know it's probably just "boys being boys", but the constant mocking of each other and "taking the piss" got a little old. Hardly a few paragraphs went by without each of them making fun of the other. I get it, they're friends, and that's what dudes do. But considering the vast majority of those reading/listening to this book are likely female, it just seemed a little unnecessary and over the top.
3. Following on the above -- at times, the pet names were humorous, but at other times they were a little insulting. In particular, it was a little offensive that Graham's love of the "finer" things in life (like good food/wine, lattes, and comfortable hotels) as well as his more mature stance on not engaging in dangerous or physically harmful activities, were constantly equated with the female gender. Again, they do realize that most of their fans are women, right? Yet essentially saying those things are "wussie" by equating them with women is supposed to be funny?
Overall, this was still an enjoyable book. I learned more about Scotland (a country I already loved, even before Outlander fame), I got more insight into these two lovely actors, and it set the stage for the Men in Kilts show that will hopefully be released sometime this year. I'll definitely be adding this book to the permanent collection on my "Outlander shelf" with all my other books in the Outlander Universe - especially because the book I have has a bookplate signed by Sam and Graham. :)